This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
As will be appreciated, oil and natural gas have a profound effect on modern economies and societies. In order to meet the demand for such natural resources, numerous companies invest significant amounts of time and money in searching for and extracting oil, natural gas, and other subterranean resources from the earth. Particularly, once a desired resource is discovered below the surface of the earth, drilling and production systems are employed to access and extract the resource. These systems can be located onshore or offshore depending on the location of a desired resource. Further, such systems generally include a wellhead assembly that is used to extract the resource. These wellhead assemblies include a wide variety of components and/or conduits, such as various control lines, casings, valves, and the like, that are conducive to drilling and/or extraction operations. In drilling and extraction operations, in addition to wellheads, various components and tools are employed to provide for drilling, completion, and the production of mineral resources. For instance, during drilling and extraction operations seals and valves are often employed to regulate pressures and/or fluid flow.
A wellhead system often includes a tubing hanger and/or casing hanger that is disposed within the wellhead assembly and configured to secure tubing and casing suspended in the well bore. In addition, the hanger generally regulates pressures and provides a path for hydraulic control fluid, chemical injections, or the like to be passed through the wellhead and into the well bore. In such a system, various seals (e.g., annular seals) are often disposed between various components of the wellhead system, such as the tubing spool, casing spool, casing hanger, tubing hanger, pack off assembly, and so forth, to regulate and isolate pressure between such components. For example, such seals may be formed from elastomers, among other suitable materials. Unfortunately, such materials may be susceptible to degradation caused by a wide range of pressures and temperatures to which the materials are exposed within the wellhead system.